Which statement correctly differentiates quality assurance and quality control?

• A. QA is product-oriented; QC is process-oriented.
• B. QA focuses on cost control; QC on schedule.
• C. QA is about testing only.
• D. QA is process-oriented; QC is product-oriented.

Answer: (D)

Quality assurance is about how work is done—the processes, standards, and plans that prevent defects and ensure consistency across the project. It focuses on designing and improving the way tasks are carried out so quality is built into the process from the start. Quality control, on the other hand, is about the end product: inspecting, testing, and measuring the finished work to identify defects and verify it meets requirements. It is reactive, catching issues after they occur and often prompting corrective actions.

Because QA is process-oriented and QC is product-oriented, the statement that QA concentrates on the process while QC concentrates on the final product best captures their distinct roles. The other ideas—QA being only about testing, or focusing on cost or schedule, or QC being the same as QA—don’t fit the true distinction between preventing defects through good processes and verifying quality in the finished output.